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BBC Charter Renewal – White Paper

On May 12th the UK government’s Department for Culture, Media and Sport published a White Paper relating to the upcoming renewal of the BBC Charter. The document – titled “A BBC for the future: a broadcaster of distinction” – can be found here.

Many BBC Watch readers will find section 3 of the report to be of particular interest, including the recommendations (page 60) concerning the complaints system.

“The new Charter will introduce two changes:

−a single complaints system with regards to the BBC in relation to editorial matters. In the first instance the BBC will handle the complaint. Where a complainant is unsatisfied with the response, or where the BBC fails to respond in a timely manner, the complainant will then be able to complain to Ofcom;

−external regulatory oversight of editorial matters. Ofcom will be able to consider complaints about all BBC content, including accuracy and impartiality in BBC programmes. This means the BBC will continue to be held to the high editorial standards that the public expects. It will build on the expertise and experience that Ofcom already has in considering complaints about the BBC and the rest of the broadcasting sector.

This approach will require Ofcom to take on responsibility for the regulation of aspects of BBC content currently outside of the Broadcasting Code. The government will work with Ofcom and the BBC to make sure that the BBC is held to the high editorial standards that the public rightly expects.”

The Clementi Review referred to throughout the White Paper can be found here.

5 comments on “BBC Charter Renewal – White Paper”

This seems an excellent idea. All the other broadcasters are controlled by Ofcom, so why not the BBC? It is VITAL that the BBC stop being a law unto itself, unaccountable to anyone, and that it has a proper complaints procedure. At present the complaints procedure is about as effective as it would have been in Stalinist Russia!

I was disappointed once again to receive the below email from BBC Watch that was sent out on Shabbos afternoon.

BBC Watch does tremendous work in tracking, analyzing and critiquing the BBC. It has been, and is a tremendous eye-opener. However the most it can suggest to put a stop to the BBC, is to stop paying its license, and other such miniscule and ineffectual measures, whilst the BBC continues to ignore, obfuscate and have no fear of any real consequences. While most cannot help but be stunned – thanks to BBC Watch – at how the BBC gets away with its terrible spin, and passive aggressive lean towards Islam and against Israel, BBC Watch continues to complain about, expect and appeal to some sort of conscience from the Goim regarding the BBC.

Hashem signed a contract with the Jews – Shabbos – and guarantees through observing Shabbos we retain Hashem’s protection.

To complain about the BBC, whilst ignoring our own obligations towards God, is like being attacked by a someone wielding a stick, and complaining to the stick! The BBC is just a stick, and it is Hashem who wields it, and when we don’t keep Shabbos, it is with good reason that we get hit with the likes of the BBC. But to complain about, and focus on the BBC as if it is the source of the problem, is behaving towards Hashem just like the BBC is behaving towards us. In fact, it’s worse, because we really should know better.

(To respond that BBC Watch’s emails are sent out by some sort of computer timer, but not written on Shabbos is of no help, when Jew and Gentile alike will assume they were written on Shabbos)

I do not presume to be a tactful or an eloquent writer, and apologize if the way my letter is written does not inspire positive self accounting. I do hope that BBC Watch would find within itself, to take this real step, that does have true potential to make a difference to curbing the BBC.